CHILDREN’S BOOKS
These books provide another channel of communicating to children involved in the foster care process. The books listed below can help young children gain a better understanding of foster care. These books are all available for purchase online.
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Specifically written to address children’s fear of being apart from the ones they love, The Invisible String delivers a particularly compelling message in today’s uncertain times that though we may be separated from the ones we care for, whether through anger, or distance or even death, love is the unending connection that binds us all, and, by extension, ultimately binds every person on the planet to everyone else.
Maybe Days, a Book for Children in Foster Care by Jennifer Wilgocki and Marcia Kahn Wright
For many children in foster care, the answer to many questions is often “maybe”. Maybe Days is a straightforward look at the issues of foster care, the questions that children ask, and the feelings that they confront. A primer for children going into foster care, the book also explains in children’s terms the responsibilities of everyone involved – parents, social workers, lawyers and judges. As for the children themselves, their job is to be a kid – and there’s no maybe about that.
Murphy’s Three Homes, a Story for Children in Foster Care by Jan Levinson Gilman
Murphy, a Tibetan Terrier puppy, is told he is a ‘good luck dog’ – he is cheerful, happy, and loves to play and wag his tail. However, after going through two different homes and an animal shelter, Murphy starts to feel like a ‘bad luck dog’ who nobody wants. Murphy’s Three Homes follows this adorable pup through his placement in three new homes, as well as through his anxiety, self-doubt, and hope for a new, loving family. Finally, Murphy is placed in a caring foster home where he feels comfortable and valued.
Zachary’s New Home, a Story for Foster and Adopted Children by Geraldine M. Blomquist, M.S.W. and Paul B Blomquist
This story for adopted and foster children describes the adventures of Zachary the kitten, who is taken from his mother’s house when she is unable to take care of him. It follows Zachary as he goes into foster care, his adoption by a family of geese and his feelings of shame, anger and hurt.
Finding the Right Spot, When Kids Can’t Live With Their Parents by Janice Levy
Finding the Right Spot is a story for all kids who can’t live with their parents, regardless of the circumstances. It’s a story about resilience and loyalty, hope and disappointment, love, sadness, and anger, too. It’s about whether life is fair, and wondering what will happen tomorrow, and talking about all of it. And finally, it’s about what makes the spot you’re in feel right.
The Star, a Story to Help Young Children Understand Foster Care by Cynthia Miller Lovell (Plus Workbook)
The Star follows a fictional young girl, Kit, who is taken from her mother to the safety, and different world, of a foster home. On Kit’s first night in foster care, she becomes friends with a star outside her bedroom window. The star tells Kit about other foster children it has seen. Through the story, the star is a source of comfort for Kit as she experiences many emotions and adjusts to all the new things in her foster home.